Cirkut discusses his plethora of Grammy nominations this year, including “APT.” by Rosé & Bruno Mars, Mayhem by Lady Gaga and Producer of the Year. We dive back into the catalog as we get the story of his major hits over the course of his career including “Roar,” “Dark Horse,” “Wrecking Ball,” “Unholy” and more.
Tetris Kelly:
It is Grammy season and you’re hanging out with Billboard, Tetris and Cirkut. That’s… I feel like we got a strong name game, right? Tetris and Cirkut kicking it. So tell me-
Cirkut:
We should be a duo.
You know what, I’m gonna get into music producing. How about that? So tell me where did- Cirkut before we even talk about the music, the nominations, I want to know about the name.
As a, you know, young teenager, I started off DJing, you know, I was a DJ I was DJ Cirkut. I kind of gave myself the name. It’s really into, like, hip hop and scratching and vinyl and kind of making beats. And so I kind of just gave myself the name. Really, I don’t have any cool story where, like, someone bestowed the name upon me.
You were just like this works.
Yeah, all the DJs had cool names. And I was like, I need my name, so DJ Cirkut. And then, you know, once I kind of moved out of DJing and more into producing, I just dropped the DJ and kept the Cirkut, and here we are.
Hey, listen, it’s working for you, and you have an incredible year. I mean, let’s talk about these Grammy nominations, Producer of the Year, which mind blowing non-classical, Album of the Year for Mayhem with Lady Gaga, Record of the Year, “Abracadabra” and “APT” with Rosé, Song of the Year, “Abracadabra,” “APT.” and, of course, Best Dance Pop Recording for “Abracadabra.” When they read those, when they all came to you, how do you accept being nominated for five Grammys with those massive songs?
It’s been, you know, a while since the nominations, since the announcement happened, and still to this day, as I’m sitting here, I’m still, like, I don’t even, it’s just I’m so overwhelmed by it. I’m so many different emotions that come to mind. I’m just very, you know, proud, but I’m just, I’m thankful, I’m grateful. I’m like, you know, I think it’s incredible. I get to make music for a living. I get to be in these rooms with these incredible artists and songwriters, and that I’m, you know, that people even want to work with me, you know, like, I just feel so grateful and to have my work recognized. And, you know, it’s a celebration of music and of the work we put into these things. So it feels amazing.
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